In a series of tweets in mid-January, political lawyer Kyle Morrow revealed documents that suggest United Conservative Party (UCP) leader Jason Kenney misappropriated taxpayer funds during his time as an MP.

In mid-December, Canadians witnessed the start of the "Yellow Vest Canada" movement, with protests popping up in several Canadian cities. The majority of these protests have taken place in Western Canada, particularly in Alberta. Many protesters are frustrated individuals voicing their complaints with Canada’s oil crisis and the Trudeau government. Canada’s recent entry into the UN’s migration pact has also been a sore issue with many protesters. Despite basing itself on the frothing anger of Canadian workers, this movement has shown itself to be reactionary to the core.

Edmonton City Council recently passed its 2019-2022 municipal budget—and austerity is on the menu for the next four years. Mayor Don Iveson himself admitted that this was the hardest budget passed in more than a decade. What will follow are cuts in services and programs reducing their overall quality, putting a heavier daily workload on city workers, and imposing higher living costs on Edmonton residents.

Around 25 people gathered at the University of Alberta on Nov. 13 to discuss how to fight against right-wing populism. Organized by Socialist Fightback Edmonton, the event explored both the causes behind the growing movement and how we as working class Canadians can stop it. The discussion attracted a diverse group of people, many of whom were concerned about the prospect of the United Conservative Party (UCP) led by Jason Kenney taking power in the upcoming Alberta election.

Within a few years, the cost of public transportation in Edmonton could be the highest in Canada. The city council has brought forward a plan to increase the price of a single bus ride from $3.25 to $3.50 in 2019, $3.75 in 2020, and $4.00 in 2021. This amounts to a 25 per cent increase in just three years. Such a drastic increase will negatively impact many workers who rely on public transit to commute to and from work and go about their daily activities.

On November 13, the people of Calgary will vote on whether to place a bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics. The city is already considered a frontrunner. Proponents of the bid argue that hosting the Olympics will increase tourism and city revenue. They say that the costs will be offset by the benefits, with the Olympics stimulating the economy and creating jobs. The experience of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games says otherwise.

Four years ago, Alberta politics was turned upside down by the victory of the NDP. The Progressive Conservatives not only suffered a humiliating defeat but also entered into a period of prolonged internal crisis. However, in the past year, the divided conservative forces have come together with a new party and sense of confidence. A poll in July put the United Conservative Party (UCP) far ahead of the NDP in electoral support, with 47.5 per cent of Albertans saying they would vote for the UCP and 30.4 per cent for the NDP. Should this poll hold for the coming election in May next year, the Conservatives will return to power.

On June 7, around 20 people gathered at the University of Alberta to discuss the ongoing pipeline crisis and the need to nationalize the oil industry under democratic workers’ control. The event was organized by Socialist Fightback Edmonton, and brought together a variety of people who were angry about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s bailout of Kinder Morgan and wanted to discuss strategies to fight it.

On the morning of Saturday, June 9, Edmonton’s Pride parade was brought to a halt after 30 to 40 protesters formed a blockade on the parade’s route. The protesters carried signs with messages such as “No pride on stolen land”, “Racism is a Queer issue” and “No pride for some of us without the liberation for all of us”.

The Alberta-B.C. pipeline saga took another turn yesterday with the announcement that the federal government is ready to “nationalize” the Trans Mountain pipeline project to the tune of $4.5 billion. On top of that, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley committed her government to put another $2 billion into an “indemnity pool” that will insure Kinder Morgan against unexpected costs resulting from the B.C. government’s opposition. This is one of the few times that a “nationalization” has been welcomed so warmly by the capitalists, with Kinder Morgan CEO Steve Kean cheerfully declaring it as “a great day”. The company’s share price, which had been sliding because of the delay of the project, moved upward after Finance Minister Bill Morneau made the announcement of Ottawa’s plan to buy the pipeline.